Action Alert: Updates on Anti-Protest Legislation

The NLG recently shared an analysis of the wave of anti-protest legislation brought forward by Republican lawmakers in multiple states since the end of 2016. As of now, we have seen 29 bills introduced in 20 states. When we include anti-BDS bills in the anti-protest legislation wave, it doubles the number (16 enacted already, with bills in at least 10 states introduced for 2017). The sheer number of bills designed to limit protests and punish protesters and organizers is unprecedented.

More bills are close to being passed in the following states: Arkansas (SB550), Georgia (SB160), North Dakota (HB1193). Now is the time for public pressure, media attention, and opposition from advocates of the right to dissent. The NLG, ACLU, Amnesty International, and many other civil liberties groups are strongly opposed to the passage of these bills. Human rights experts from the United Nations also “call on lawmakers in the United States to stop the ‘alarming’ trend of ‘undemocratic’ anti-protest bills designed to criminalize or impede the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.”

Please join us in resisting this attempt by Republicans to limit protest activity. For those who live in the states affected, please follow these bills closely, offer public comments, write media op-eds, hold educational meetings, and organize protests in your area. As we have seen from the multiple bills that have already failed, public pressure is very effective!

For those interested in following and resisting this legislation, here are two excellent resources for tracking the bills by state: